The primary objective of this proposal is to integrate the use of a temperature-controlled laser welding system with a novel type of tissue solder to provide enhanced healing for laser-assisted wound closure. By adding growth factors to the tissue solder presently being used and carefully controlling the weld temperature to avoid thermal denaturation of the growth factors, a non- immunologic, biologically active structure results. Albumin solders, currently used in laser-assisted repairs, appear to be optimal carriers for in situ delivery of growth factors. In phase I, this investigative team demonstrated successful in vivo delivery of biologically active growth factors to wounds via denatured albumin-based solders, and also showed accelerated healing. In this revised phase II application, the group proposes to study in detail factors that affect in situ delivery of growth factors in this system, and thereby optimize the technology for laser-assisted wound healing. The specific aims of their proposal are to: 1) develop in vitro test methods to analyze the use of human serum albumin (HSA) as a delivery vehicle for TGF-beta1 and other growth factors; and 2) determine the optimal parameters for the TGF-beta1-enhanced HSA solders for accelerated wound repair in vivo models. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: NOT AVAILABLE